Bruins Won Their Fourth Straight Game & Eliminated The Overmatched Caps In Five Games

 

    So it turns out that there really was no need to fear the overrated Capitals after all. The Bruins dispatched of them in only five games after taking Game 5 by a score of 3-1 tonight at the Capital One Arena in DC. After losing Game 1 in overtime and winning the next two games in overtime, Boston dominated in the final two contests as they outscored Washington by a combined score of 7-2. The B's head to the second round of the playoffs for the fourth season in a row-where they'll meet the Penguins or Islanders who are currently tied 2-2-while the Caps head home for the third consecutive year after a disappointing first round exit. For the Capitals, it must feel like a decade or more since they won that elusive Stanley Cup in 2018.

    This was a victory where the Bruins were led by many of their best players: goaltender Tuukka Rask (who was fantastic for the entire series) made 40 saves, captain Patrice Bergeron scored twice and right wing David Pastrnak added a highlight reel goal for the black and gold. This being the NHL playoffs, there was also much lesser known guys like defenseman Jarred Tinordi-he played 19:02 with four hits and three blocked shots in his Bruins playoff debut-who was fantastic in his unexpectedly vital role. It was a weird game as the Capitals outshot the Bruins 41-19 but trailed 2-0 in the third period before they tallied the fastest goal to start a playoff period in franchise history. Rask was not fazed by that and Bergy put it away with another clutch goal in a career full of them. 

    After no goals in the first three games of this series, Pasta is starting to heat up as he had a goal and assist in Game 4 and he matched that production this evening. He made Caps center Nic Dowd look silly when he did a sweet curl-and-drag move around him, drove to the net and wrapped a shot around goaltender Ilya Samsonov (16 saves). Defenseman Mike Reilly had the lone assist on the game's opening goal at 2:28 of the second period. Samsonov would probably want Bergeron's first goal back as it was a snap shot from distance. Reilly and Pastrnak had the assists on Bergy's second goal of the playoffs at 14:05 for a 2-0 Bruins lead. 

    UMass' Conor Sheary provided the lone positive note for Washington in Game 5 when he scored off his own rebound 11 seconds into the third period. He roofed a shot from in close that Rask couldn't react to in time to stop. Center T.J. Oshie and defenseman Dmitry Orlov notched the assists on Sheary's first goal of the postseason. Bergeron's second goal happened at 12:25 and while it was unassisted, he owed plenty of credit for it to Pasta who screened Samsonov at just the right time. 

    In the traditional handshake line after the game, Bergeron and former B's captain Zdeno Chara shared some words and a tight embrace which makes you wonder if that was Z's last NHL game. Boston will be one of the last eight clubs left in the playoffs and you have to acknowledge that they can play with anybody. As far as the Pens and Isles go, I think that besides rooting for a seven-game series, they want to see Pittsburgh (since they completely own them) rather than New York who is less talented but would be a major headache to face in a best-of-seven playoff series. Regardless, they get a few extra days to rest now which is very important if you want to make a serious run to the Cup.

B's Power Play (3-for-5) Pushes The Caps To The Brink Of Elimination With 4-1 Victory In Game 4

 

    After three straight overtime games to begin the series (not to mention 12 playoff games in a row decided by one goal), the Bruins and Capitals entered Game 4 of their first round series tonight at the TD Garden long overdue for a one-sided victory. Luckily, Boston was that team as they dominated Washington by a score of 4-1 which gives them a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. Game 5 is on Sunday night (7, NESN) back at the Capital One Arena where the B's will get their first chance at sending the Caps to their third consecutive playoff exit in the first round. Boston has already come a long way from their overtime loss in Game 1 against the Capitals. 

    After a scoreless first period, the Bruins got on the board first as left wing Brad Marchand tipped in a shot by right wing David Pastrnak and BU's Charlie McAvoy at 8:00 for a 1-0 B's lead. The power play goal was Marchand's third goal already in the postseason. The black and gold had never carried a lead into the third period in the first three games so they gave it a whirl in Game 4. They must have enjoyed it since they scored twice very early in the final frame (34 seconds apart). First, Pasta was given too much time and space so he ripped a low shot into the far corner against Capitals rookie goaltender Ilya Samsonov (33 saves). McAvoy and center David Krejci had the assists on Pastrnak's first goal of the playoffs at 29 seconds. On the next shift, right wing Jake DeBrusk got sent in on a breakaway but he missed the net with his wayward shot. However, he stayed with the puck and threw it back in front where BU's Charlie Coyle was able to flip in a backhander at 1:03.

        The only reason that Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask (19 saves) didn't finish with a shutout was because Alexander Ovechkin's power play shot (that caused his stick blade to shatter) went in off defenseman Brandon Carlo's skate at 4:54. Ovi's second goal of the series (and 71st of his postseason career) cut it to 3-1 Bruins with Caps defensemen John Carlson and center Nicklas Backstrom providing the the assists. Getting one more goal was not the main task at hand by that point but I'm sure the Bruins enjoyed one more power play goal just for the hell of it. McAvoy sent a pass to his fellow BU product Matt Grzelcyk and the Charlestown native unloaded on a one-timer that went top shelf by Samsonov. Left wing Taylor Hall added the second assist on Grzelcyk's first goal of the playoffs at 14:50. 

    The only bad news to come from this evening was that a dirty hit by Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov on B's defenseman Kevan Miller left the latter shaken up. Miller went to the hospital for CT scans and further evaluation which means that he might be concussed. Not only was the hit late since Miller had given up the puck seconds earlier but Orlov also leaped at him (both of his skates briefly left the ice) and he caught Miller right under the chin which any boxing fan will tell you is a very vulnerable position. Ironically, former Maple Leafs goon Nazem Kadri was just suspended eight games by the NHL's department of player safety for a similar albeit bigger and worse incident (plus he was a repeat offender) in Game 2 vs. St. Louis that left Blues defenseman Justin Faulk knocked out cold. I'm not predicting anything but we'll have to wait and see if Orlov faces any kind of punishment (fine or suspension) by the league.  

    After winning the last three games in the series, you have to love where the Bruins find themselves at the moment. It's not over yet though against Washington but if the B's get a decent lead on Sunday night, I would not be shocked to see the Capitals sneaky give up. Since they broke through and erased their playoff choker label by winning the Stanley Cup in 2018, the Caps have reverted back to that earlier stinky form the last few postseasons. Ovechkin is an all-time great player and they have plenty of other very talented guys on their current roster but their goaltending situation is a bit of a mess and their defense is nowhere near Boston's level. Then again, this is the NHL where teams routinely come back from the dead in a playoff series so Boston needs to get rid of Washington ASAP while they have the chance.  

For The Third Straight Game, B's & Caps Went To OT But This Time, Craig Smith Won It For Boston

 

    This is getting silly: the last 12 playoff games between the Bruins and Capitals have all been decided by one goal with now eight of those ending in overtime. Tonight at the TD Garden for Game 3 of their first round series, Boston outlasted Washington 3-2 in double overtime with veteran right wing Craig Smith doing the honors with his second career playoff overtime goal which gave the B's a 2-1 series lead. Once again, the Bruins found themselves trailing in the third period before tying it then winning it in the extra session. All three contests in this series have gone to overtime which is crazy. This is a very tough way to live but it is somehow working so far for the black and gold. 

    The big news right before Game 3 started was that Washington's goaltender Ilya Samsonov would start while Pheonix Copley served as the backup and Craig Anderson (who started Game 2) did not even dress. For a guy who had not played since May 1 (due to being in the Covid-19 protocol), Samsonov (40 saves) did not show many signs of rust. Well except for the play that decided the game: he had a chance to the touch the puck behind his net but he hesitated which allowed Smith to swoop in and use a wraparound shot to stuff it in the net at 5:48. Fittingly Smith-who was Bruins GM Don Sweeney's only real notable free agent signed last off-season-was credited with an unassisted tally since nobody on his team helped him per se, that was all thanks to his hustle, speed and determination. 

    After a scoreless first period (which Boston dominated, outshooting Washington 10-4), the Caps built a pair of one-goal leads in the second period which they could not protect. Captain Alex Ovechkin made it 1-0 for the visitors with a one-timer from right wing Anthony Mantha at 8:21. It came on the power play and it was Ovi's first goal of the series. It took the Bruins 56 seconds to respond as left wing Taylor Hall scored a beautiful goal. He took a pass down low from Smith (with UVM's Kevan Miller picking up the other helper) and went backhand to forehand then he put the puck in the top shelf. Very few other B's could have pulled that entire sequence off that he made look so easy for his second goal of the series. Center Nick Dowd put Washington back in front 2-1 at 18:15 as he tipped in a shot from Brown's Garnet Hathaway. It was Dowd's second goal of the series as Boston's goaltender Tuukka Rask (35 saves) was victimized by another tip (or deflection) in the early going of this series. 

    The Capitals turned up the heat in the second period (outshooting the Bruins 16-11) and they tripled Boston's shots on goal total (9-3) in the third period but the black and gold probably did not care one bit since they tied it on left wing Brad Marchand's amazing reaction play. BU's Charlie McAvoy (who played a game-high 33:52) started it by shuttling the puck to captain Patrice Bergeron in the bumper position on the power play. Bergy's shot was deflected but Marchand was there to bat it out of mid-air and straight into the net at 11:32. His second goal of the series made the Garden explode with excitement.

    The B's will have an optional practice tomorrow before they hit the Garden ice on Friday (6:30, NESN) for Game 4. Obviously, that's a huge tilt as well since the difference between leading the series 3-1 or being knotted at two games apiece is enormous. I've accepted that most likely every game in this series will be close like this and perhaps more overtime will be needed to help settle things. Center Evgeni Kuznetsov returned as well this evening from his Covid-19 battle (he had also been out since May 1) so there really aren't any other big moves left for Caps head coach Peter Laviolette to make. It would be nice to see the Bruins carry the momentum from these back-to-back overtime triumphs into Game 4 but then again, I won't hold my breath for that.